Possible danger: Chemical phthalates is used to soften plastics and can be found in children's toys

Chemicals found in every home may
cause breast cancer, asthma, infertility and birth defects, global
health chiefs said yesterday.They
warn the gender-bending compounds – used in toys, PVC flooring, car
dashboards and credit cards – have ‘serious implications’ for health.In a landmark report, the World Health Organisation suggested a ban might be needed to protect future generations. It
says it is ‘reasonable to suspect’ chemical substances called
phthalates of harming female fertility and linked them with rising rates
of childhood illnesses including leukaemia.Also under suspicion is bisphenol A,
which is found in a host of daily items including tin cans and
sunglasses. The man-made compounds are thought to interfere with the
natural hormones that are key to our growth, development and overall
health.The WHO said there
was ‘very strong evidence’ in animals they can interfere with thyroid
hormones – something that can cause brain damage, stunted intelligence,
attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism. For prostate cancer ‘significant evidence’ exists of a link with agricultural pesticides.And
there was some evidence linking exposure in pregnancy to weight gain in
infants and children and potential links to breast cancer.In
the same report ten years ago, the UN agency said there was only ‘weak
evidence ’ that gender-bending chemicals were harming human health.

Declaring the chemicals a global
threat, the new report’s authors said humans and animals were exposed to
hundreds of compounds, many of which have yet to be identified or
properly studied.Some are inhaled in dust, others make their way into
our bodies from food or simply licking our fingers.

The
WHO stops short of saying the chemicals actually caused the illnesses
but did say that in some cases, the evidence was very strong.The report – State of the Science of
Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals – is the most comprehensive of its kind
because rather than focusing on one chemical or one illness, it
evaluates all the evidence.It
says: ‘The diverse systems affected by endocrine-disrupting chemicals
likely include all hormonal systems and range from those controlling
development and function of reproductive organs to the tissues and
organs regulating metabolism and satiety.‘Effects
on these systems can lead to obesity, infertility or reduced fertility,
learning and memory difficulties, adult-onset diabetes or
cardiovascular disease, as well as a variety of other diseases.’

Report: The compounds, also found in PVC floors, can have 'serious implications' the World Health Organisation warned

Daily risks: The dangerous chemical is found in
many objects we touch with out bare hand every day, such as credit cards
and car dashboards

Worryingly,
it warns the chemicals assessed so far by scientists may only be the
‘tip of the iceberg’ – and there could be many other potentially harmful
compounds out there.It cautions that the key role of
hormones in the development of tissues and organs means that unborn
babies and young children may be particularly vulnerable.The
report – written over two years by international experts who collated
and weighted scientific studies on the topic – also states the rise in
some conditions is too rapid to be blamed on genes alone.‘The prevalence of paediatric asthma
has more than doubled over the past 20 years and is now the leading
cause of child hospitalisations and school absenteeism,’ it said.
‘Certain birth defects, such as those of the male reproductive organs
are on the rise. The incidence of paediatric leukaemia and brain cancer
have risen, as has the incidence of testicular cancer. These are stark
health statistics.’ The WHO
says wildlife is also at risk and calls for much more research into the
chemicals and their effects – and says that there may be a case for
banning or restricting them.

Dr Maria Neira, the WHO’s
director for public health and environment, said: ‘The latest science
shows that communities around the globe are being exposed to
endocrine-disrupting chemicals and their associated risks. We all have a
responsibility to protect future generations.’ Elizabeth
Salter Green, of the campaign group CHEM Trust, said the EU was trying
to tighten up the regulation of gender-bending chemicals but the UK was
in favour of the least stringent measures.She
added: ‘This report bears testimony to the on-going failure of
regulatory agencies to reduce exposure to hormone disrupting chemicals,
which are implicated in the increased rates of hormone-related cancers
and other diseases.‘Thankfully,
the EU is now trying to come to agreement on how to identify such
hormone disrupting chemicals, so that they can be effectively regulated,
but unfortunately the UK is trying to thwart this process in a bid to
limit the number of chemicals that will fall under the regulatory axe.’ The
Chemical Industries Association said it was important to note that
naturally-occurring substances in beer, chocolate and coffee can have
more powerful effects on the body’s hormones than man-made chemicals.